Patent US6267781B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6267781B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Medical device and methods for treating valvular annulus
Assignee: Irvine Biomedical Inc
•
Filing: 1999-10-09
•
Granted: 2001-07-31
•
Expires: 2019-10-09
Abstract
Abstract An ablation device for treating tissues, valvular annulus, valvular organ structure, or atherosclerosis of a patient, the ablation device including a flexible elongate tubular shaft having a deployable spiral wire electrode at its distal end adapted to contact/penetrate the tissue to be treated and to apply high frequency energy to the tissue for therapeutic purposes.
Inventors
- 👤 Hosheng Tu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 16:19
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/04; A61B18/12; A61B18/14; A61B18/1492; A61B2018/00053; A61B2018/00214; A61B2018/1405; A61B2018/1435; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/82
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
233 words
A method for operating a catheter system for treating a valvular annulus, the method comprising the steps of: (a) percutaneously introducing the catheter system through a blood vessel to a valvular annulus, the catheter system comprising a flexible tubular shaft having a distal section, a distal end, a proximal end, and at least one lumen extending therebetween, wherein the at least one lumen has at least one opening at the distal end of the tubular shaft; a handle attached to the proximal end of the tubular shaft, wherein the handle has a cavity; a hollow tubing having a passageway and a locking valve attached to the handle, wherein the passageway is connected to the at least one lumen of the tubular shaft; an elongate tubular element located inside the at least one lumen of the tubular shaft, wherein the elongate tubular element comprises a distal end and a proximal end, and wherein the distal end comprises a preshaped wire electrode having a plurality of spirals, wherein the diameter of at least one of a next spiral is larger than that of a prior spiral; an electrode deployment mechanism mounted at the handle, wherein the electrode deployment mechanism is attached to the proximal end of the elongate tubular element; and (b) deploying the elongate tubular element to radially extend the spiral wire electrode, adapted to contact a tissue of the valvular annulus for treatment.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
233 words
A method for operating a catheter system for treating a valvular annulus, the method comprising the steps of: (a) percutaneously introducing the catheter system through a blood vessel to a valvular annulus, the catheter system comprising a flexible tubular shaft having a distal section, a distal end, a proximal end, and at least one lumen extending therebetween, wherein the at least one lumen has at least one opening at the distal end of the tubular shaft; a handle attached to the proximal end of the tubular shaft, wherein the handle has a cavity; a hollow tubing having a passageway and a locking valve attached to the handle, wherein the passageway is connected to the at least one lumen of the tubular shaft; an elongate tubular element located inside the at least one lumen of the tubular shaft, wherein the elongate tubular element comprises a distal end and a proximal end, and wherein the distal end comprises a preshaped wire electrode having a plurality of spirals, wherein the diameter of at least one of a next spiral is larger than that of a prior spiral; an electrode deployment mechanism mounted at the handle, wherein the electrode deployment mechanism is attached to the proximal end of the elongate tubular element; and (b) deploying the elongate tubular element to radially extend the spiral wire electrode, adapted to contact a tissue of the valvular annulus for treatment.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
65 words
A method for operating a catheter system for treating a valvular annulus as in claim 1 , the method further comprising a step of applying high frequency current to the spiral wire electrode to effect treating the valvular annulus, wherein the catheter system further comprises a high frequency current generator having an electrical conductor means for transmitting high frequency current to said spiral wire electrode.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method for operating a catheter system for treating a valvular annulus as in claim 1 , wherein the catheter system further comprises at least one temperature sensor disposed at close proximity of the spiral wire electrode for measuring tissue temperature.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method for operating a catheter system for treating a valvular annulus as in claim 3 , wherein the catheter system further comprises temperature control means for controlling the high frequency current transmission to the spiral wire electrode by receiving a measured temperature from the at least one temperature sensor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method for operating a catheter system for treating a valvular annulus of claim 1 , wherein the valvular annulus is selected from the group consisting of the valvular annulus of a mitral valve, a tricuspid valve, a pulmonary valve, an aortic valve, and a venous valve.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method for operating a catheter system for treating a valvular annulus of claim 2 , wherein the high frequency current is selected from the group consisting of radiofrequency current, microwave current and ultrasonic frequency current.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method for operating a catheter system for treating a valvular annulus of claim 1 , wherein the inner, non-tissue contacting side of the spiral wire electrode is insulated.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method for operating a catheter system for treating a valvular annulus of claim 1 , wherein the material for the spiral wire electrode is selected from the group consisting of platinum, iridium, gold, silver, stainless steel, tungsten, Nitinol, and an alloy of their mixtures.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method for operating a catheter system for treating a valvular annulus of claim 1 , wherein the radially extendible spiral wire electrode is extended radially and penetrates into a tissue of the valvular annulus.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method for operating a catheter system for treating a valvular annulus of claim 1 , wherein the catheter system further comprises a steering mechanism at the handle for controlling deflection of the distal section of the flexible tubular shaft.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method for operating a catheter system for treating a valvular annulus of claim 1 , wherein a shape of at least one of the plurality of spirals is selected from the group consisting of a circular shape, a D-shape, a kidney shape, and an oval shape.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
282 words
A method for operating a catheter system for treating a tissue of a valvular organ structure, the method comprising the steps of: (a) percutaneously introducing the catheter system through a blood vessel to the tissue of the valvular organ structure, the catheter system comprising a tubular shaft having a distal section, a distal end, a proximal end, and at least one lumen extending therebetween, wherein the at least one lumen has at least one opening at the distal end of the tubular shaft; a handle attached to the proximal end of the tubular shaft, wherein the handle has a cavity; a hollow tubing having a passageway and a locking valve attached to the handle, wherein the passageway is connected to the at least one lumen of the tubular shaft; an elongate tubular element located inside the at least one lumen of the tubular shaft, wherein the elongate tubular element comprises a distal end and a proximal end, and wherein the distal end comprises a preshaped wire electrode having a plurality of spirals, wherein the diameter of at least one of a next spiral is larger than that of a prior spiral; an electrode deployment mechanism mounted on the handle, wherein the electrode deployment mechanism is attached to the proximal end of the elongate tubular element; and a high frequency current generator having an electrical conductor means for transmitting high frequency current to said spiral wire electrode; (b) deploying the elongate tubular element to radially extend the spiral wire electrode, adapted to contact the tissue of the valvular organ structure; and (c) applying high frequency current through the electrical conductor means to the spiral wire electrode for treatment of the valvular organ structure.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
282 words
A method for operating a catheter system for treating a tissue of a valvular organ structure, the method comprising the steps of: (a) percutaneously introducing the catheter system through a blood vessel to the tissue of the valvular organ structure, the catheter system comprising a tubular shaft having a distal section, a distal end, a proximal end, and at least one lumen extending therebetween, wherein the at least one lumen has at least one opening at the distal end of the tubular shaft; a handle attached to the proximal end of the tubular shaft, wherein the handle has a cavity; a hollow tubing having a passageway and a locking valve attached to the handle, wherein the passageway is connected to the at least one lumen of the tubular shaft; an elongate tubular element located inside the at least one lumen of the tubular shaft, wherein the elongate tubular element comprises a distal end and a proximal end, and wherein the distal end comprises a preshaped wire electrode having a plurality of spirals, wherein the diameter of at least one of a next spiral is larger than that of a prior spiral; an electrode deployment mechanism mounted on the handle, wherein the electrode deployment mechanism is attached to the proximal end of the elongate tubular element; and a high frequency current generator having an electrical conductor means for transmitting high frequency current to said spiral wire electrode; (b) deploying the elongate tubular element to radially extend the spiral wire electrode, adapted to contact the tissue of the valvular organ structure; and (c) applying high frequency current through the electrical conductor means to the spiral wire electrode for treatment of the valvular organ structure.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method for operating a catheter system for treating a tissue of a valvular organ structure as in claim 12 , wherein the tissue is selected from the group consisting of the tissue of a valvular annulus, a chordae tendinae, a heart valve leaflet, a venous valve leaflet, and papillary muscles.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method for operating a catheter system for treating a tissue of a valvular organ structure as in claim 12 , wherein the catheter system further comprises at least one temperature sensor disposed at close proximity of the spiral wire electrode for measuring tissue temperature.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
55 words
A method for operating a catheter system for treating a tissue of a valvular organ structure as in claim 14 , wherein the catheter system further comprises a temperature control means for controlling the high frequency current transmission to the spiral wire electrode by receiving a measured temperature from the at least one temperature sensor.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method for operating a catheter system for treating a tissue of a valvular organ structure as in claim 12 , wherein the high frequency current is selected from the group consisting of radiofrequency current, microwave current and ultrasound current.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method for operating a catheter system for treating a tissue of a valvular organ structure as in claim 12 , wherein the radially extendible spiral wire electrode is extended radially and penetrates into the tissue of said valvular organ structure.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method for operating a catheter system for treating a tissue of a valvular organ structure as in claim 12 , wherein the catheter system further comprises a steering mechanism at the handle for controlling deflection of the distal section of the tubular shaft.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-07-30 | 2005-01-29 | 2005-07-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-07-30 | 2009-01-29 | 2009-07-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-07-30 | 2013-01-29 | 2013-07-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |